Augello receives draw for first day of Olympic women’s freestyle on Wednesday
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Haley Augello competing at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – The first U.S. women’s freestyle wrestler, Haley Augello (Lockport, Ill./New York AC) weighed in and received her first-round draw for the Olympic Games, which continue on Monday in Carioca 2 Arena.
Augello is in the top half of the bracket, in the first quarter-bracket. She opens against 2015 World bronze medalist Jessica Blaszka of the Netherlands.
“I have been really impressed with Haley and her focus and just staying on track and doing what she can to get ready for this. She doesn’t seem like she is wide-eyed. It is just another competition for her, although we all realize it has great meaning, but at the same time it is just another wrestling tournament. She has done a great job doing what she does, staying in her routines, staying with her processes and readying herself for competition,” said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner.
If Augello wins her first bout, she would face the winner of the match between three-time World champion and No. 1 seed Eri Tosaka of Japan and two-time World medalist Zhuldyz Eshimova of Kazakhstan.
In the bottom portion of Augello’s half-bracket are 2013 World champion Sun Yanan of China, Jasmine Mian of Canada, Vinesh of India and Emilia Vuc of Romania, who will compete to reach the semifinals round.
The Illinois native is the youngest of the four U.S. women competing at the Rio Olympics at age 21. She was a 2011 Cadet World champion, and competed on two U.S. Junior World Teams. She has been second at the U.S. Open twice (2013 and 2016). Augello is on an Olympic redshirt year from King University, where she has won two WCWA Women’s College National titles.
There are two other weight classes being contested on Wednesday, 58 kg/128 lbs. and 69 kg/152 lbs. The United States does not have an entry in those two weight classes. Augello will carry the U.S. banner into the women’s first day of competition by herself.
“We knew that a long time ago, so she has prepared for that. She is the only one wrestling tomorrow, but I don’t really think it affects her one way or the other. I think she will do her job and do what she can do to get on that awards stand. I feel good about her. I feel her preparation has been great. She knows why she is here and she knows what she wants to do. We expect big things from Haley tomorrow,” said Steiner.
Of special note is the quest of three-time Olympic champion Kaori Icho of Japan at 58 kg/128 lbs., who is seeking to become the first wrestler in an, style to be a four-time Olympic champion.
The preliminaries are set for 10:00 a.m. Rio time, with the medal rounds set at 4:00 p.m. (This is one hour ahead of U.S. Eastern time).
“It has been great. The U.S. Olympic Committee has done an outstanding job making a home away from home with its High Performance Center at Lonier. The athletes have been there most of the time. They are surrounded by U.S. athletes. Everything is comfortable. Everything is familiar. It has been a very easy transition over the last 10 days for us. The athletes have zeroed in and focused on what they need to do to prepare themselves. As a staff, we feel very comfortable where we are at. We feel we have four athletes who can be on that awards stand this week, and that is what we are shooting for,” said Steiner.
Fans can see every match streamed live through NBC, with television coverage expected on other NBC platforms. United World Wrestling will have live results and brackets.
2016 OLYMPIC GAMES
At Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
U.S. women’s draw for Wednesday
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC)
Vs. Jessica Blaszka (Netherlands), 2015 World bronze medalist, 9th in 2014 World Championships, three-time Cadet European champion
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – The first U.S. women’s freestyle wrestler, Haley Augello (Lockport, Ill./New York AC) weighed in and received her first-round draw for the Olympic Games, which continue on Monday in Carioca 2 Arena.
Augello is in the top half of the bracket, in the first quarter-bracket. She opens against 2015 World bronze medalist Jessica Blaszka of the Netherlands.
“I have been really impressed with Haley and her focus and just staying on track and doing what she can to get ready for this. She doesn’t seem like she is wide-eyed. It is just another competition for her, although we all realize it has great meaning, but at the same time it is just another wrestling tournament. She has done a great job doing what she does, staying in her routines, staying with her processes and readying herself for competition,” said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner.
If Augello wins her first bout, she would face the winner of the match between three-time World champion and No. 1 seed Eri Tosaka of Japan and two-time World medalist Zhuldyz Eshimova of Kazakhstan.
In the bottom portion of Augello’s half-bracket are 2013 World champion Sun Yanan of China, Jasmine Mian of Canada, Vinesh of India and Emilia Vuc of Romania, who will compete to reach the semifinals round.
The Illinois native is the youngest of the four U.S. women competing at the Rio Olympics at age 21. She was a 2011 Cadet World champion, and competed on two U.S. Junior World Teams. She has been second at the U.S. Open twice (2013 and 2016). Augello is on an Olympic redshirt year from King University, where she has won two WCWA Women’s College National titles.
There are two other weight classes being contested on Wednesday, 58 kg/128 lbs. and 69 kg/152 lbs. The United States does not have an entry in those two weight classes. Augello will carry the U.S. banner into the women’s first day of competition by herself.
“We knew that a long time ago, so she has prepared for that. She is the only one wrestling tomorrow, but I don’t really think it affects her one way or the other. I think she will do her job and do what she can do to get on that awards stand. I feel good about her. I feel her preparation has been great. She knows why she is here and she knows what she wants to do. We expect big things from Haley tomorrow,” said Steiner.
Of special note is the quest of three-time Olympic champion Kaori Icho of Japan at 58 kg/128 lbs., who is seeking to become the first wrestler in an, style to be a four-time Olympic champion.
The preliminaries are set for 10:00 a.m. Rio time, with the medal rounds set at 4:00 p.m. (This is one hour ahead of U.S. Eastern time).
“It has been great. The U.S. Olympic Committee has done an outstanding job making a home away from home with its High Performance Center at Lonier. The athletes have been there most of the time. They are surrounded by U.S. athletes. Everything is comfortable. Everything is familiar. It has been a very easy transition over the last 10 days for us. The athletes have zeroed in and focused on what they need to do to prepare themselves. As a staff, we feel very comfortable where we are at. We feel we have four athletes who can be on that awards stand this week, and that is what we are shooting for,” said Steiner.
Fans can see every match streamed live through NBC, with television coverage expected on other NBC platforms. United World Wrestling will have live results and brackets.
2016 OLYMPIC GAMES
At Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
U.S. women’s draw for Wednesday
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC)
Vs. Jessica Blaszka (Netherlands), 2015 World bronze medalist, 9th in 2014 World Championships, three-time Cadet European champion
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